Latch device



D. H. ZELL LATCH DEVICE Filed Dec. 10, 1938 INVENTOR. 0/1 V/D M Z 54 L KTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT creme LATCH DEVICE David H. Zell, Brooklyn, N. Y. 7

Application December 10, 1938, Serial N 0. 244,942

4 Claims.

This invention relates to latch devices and more particularly to a latch device for vanity cases or similar articles which may be easily and quickly A operated to release the cover or closure of the case compartment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latch device embodying a thin resiliently yieldable metal strip having a tongue for latching engagement upon a free edge of the compartment closure together with a vertically movable latch releasing element adapted for manual operation and cam means on the strip coacting therewith whereby said strip is displaced from normal posig. tion and the latch tongue thereof disengaged from the closure member.

It is a further general object of the invention to provide a latch device of this character which is simple and inexpensive in construction, and the several parts of which may be easily and quickly assembled upon the case structure.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved latch device, and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts, as will hereinafter be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawing, wherein I have shown one simple and practical embodiment of the invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a vanity case or similar article provided with my improved latch device.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view.

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the compartment-forming frame member and the latch device.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the resilient latch strip.

In the accompanying drawing, for purpose of illustration, I have shown a vanity case having a rectangular body member 5 upon the rear edge of which a top or cover 6 is hinged as at I. At the front edge of the case body, any suitable type of latch means, indicated at 8, may be provided for the cover 6.

Within the case body, a rectangular compartment-forming frame member is inserted. This frame member is formed from a die-stamped sheet metal plate to provide an outer downwardly opening channel portion 9 and an inner upwardly opening channel portion iii separated by the common dividing wall I l. The outer side wall of the portion 9 of this frame member has close fitting frictional engagement with the upstanding mar ginal walls of the case body 5 whereby said frame member is retained in fixed relation to the case body. The inner channel portion I 0 of the frame member receives a continuous strip l2 of felt or other suitable packing material upon which the edges of the closure member I 3 are closely pressed when said member is in its closed position so that the sifting of loose powder from the compartment M formed by said frame member will be prevented.

The closure I3 is hinged, as at IE, on one side of the channel portion 9 of the frame member. Heretofore, various types of latch devices have been provided for releasably retaining the closure for the powder compartment in its closed position. It is the purpose of my present invention to pro vide a latch means of such construction as to insure positive latching action to retain the closure in its closed position, and yet permit of the easy and quick release thereof.

To the above end, my new latch device includes a thin resilient sheet metal strip l6 which is positioned on edge in the outer channel portion 9 of the compartment forming frame member opposite to the closure hinge l5. Theend portions i! of the metal latch strip are angularly bent from the plane of its intermediate portion and at their extremities have sliding contact against the outer side Wall of the frame member.

The upper edge of the intermediate portion of the strip !6 is provided with a latching tongue 18 extending at right angles to the plane of said strip and movable in a slot or opening is provided in the intermediate dividing wall H between the channel portions of the frame member. At one side of this latching tongue, the strip It is provided with an upwardly inclined cam lug 20.

The top wall of the channel portion 9 of the frame member is provided with an opening 2| accommodating the vertically movable release button or finger piece 22 which is carried by the free end of a leaf spring 23 suitably secured at its other end to said framewall. This depressible finger piece is positioned immediately above the edge of the inclined cam lug 20 on the strip i6.

Normally, with the member IS in its closed position, the intermediate portion of the strip i6 is in contact with the frame wall ll while the end portions thereof have bearing engagement with the outer side wall of the frame member. The latch tongue l8 projects beyond the inner face of the wall H and in overlapping engagement upon the marginal edge of the cover or closure member l3 to securely retain thelatter in its closed position, as seen in Fig. 5 of the drawing. When access is desired to the powder compartment i4, it is only necessary to depress the finger piece 22. The downward pressure upon the lug 20 results in a camming action displacing the light spring metal strip from its normal position to retract the tongue l8 out of engagement with the edge of the closure member i3 so that the latter may swing upwardly to its open position. In this displacement of the central portion of the spring strip, the ends I! thereof will have sliding movement along the outer side wall of the compartment-forming member. The downward pressure upon the finger piece 22 is limited so that the tongue [8 cannot be entirely withdrawn through the opening i9, which would result in longitudinal bodily shifting movement of the strip |6, and displacement of the lug 20 from its proper position relative to said finger piece.

From the above description, the construction and manner of operation of the device will be readily understood. It will be evident that by reason of the particular construction and arrangement of the cooperating elements of the latch, the closure member l3 will be very securely held and retained in its closed position, and yet may be easily and quickly released for opening movement when desired. These latch parts can be easily assembled with little manual labor in their proper cooperative positions with respect to the compartment-forming frame member. The button or finger piece 22 may be made in the form of an imitation jewel or of composition materials of various colors, and thus add to the attractive appearance of the case.

In the above description and the accompanying drawing I have disclosed an embodiment of the invention which has been found very satisfactory in practical use. It is, however, to be understood that the particular construction of the compartment-forming frame member is not essential, and also that the detail parts of the latch device might be modified in various other possible application of my invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate structural changes as may fairly be comprehended as within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a compartment-forming member having a channel portion provided with spaced side walls and a top wall and a compartment closure hingedly mounted on said member; a resiliently yieldable unattached latching member operatively confined in said channel and having a tongue movable in an opening in one of said side walls for releasable latching engagement with an edge of said closure, and independently operable means yieldably coacting with a part of said latching member and including an operating element vertically depressible through the top wall of said channel, to transversely displace the latching member from normal position and move said tongue out of latching engagement with the closure.

2. In combination with a compartment-forming member having a channel portion provided with spaced side walls and a top wall and a compartment closure hingedly mounted on said member; an elongated resiliently yieldable unattached latch strip operatively confined in said channel and having an intermediate portion normally in substantial contact with one side wall thereof and angularly disposed end portions having sliding engagement with the opposite side wall, said latch strip being provided with an angularly disposed latching tongue movable through an opening in the first named side Wall for releasable latching engagement with an edge of the closure, and means independent of said latch strip having an operating part vertically depressible through the top Wall of the channel and coacting with a part of said latching strip to transversely displace the intermediate portion thereof from its normal position and move said latching tongue out of engagement with the closure.

.3. In combination with a compartment-forming member having a channel portion provided with spaced side walls and a top wall and a compartment closure hingedly mounted on said member; an elongated resiliently yieldable latch strip in said channel having an intermediate portion normally in substantial contact with one side wall thereof and angularly disposed end portions having sliding engagement with the opposite side wali, said latch strip being provided with an angularly disposed latching tongue movable through an opening in the first named side wall for releasable latching engagement with an edge of the closure, a part fixed at one of its ends to the top wall of the channel and resiliently yieldable relative thereto, said part at its other end having coacting engagement with a part of said latching strip to displace the same from its normal position and disengage said latching tongue from the closure, and an operating element for said resiliently yieldable part moving in an opening in the top Wall of said channel.

4. In combination with a compartment-forming member having a channel portion provided with spaced side walls and a top wall and a compartment closure hingedly mounted on said member; an elongated resiliently yieldable latch strip in said channel having an intermediate portion normally in substantial contact with one side wall thereof and angularly disposed end portions having sliding engagement with the opposite side wall, said latch strip being provided with an angularly disposed latching tongue movable through an opening in the first named side wall for releasable latching engagement with an edge of the closure, said latching strip having a cam lug angularly disposed relative to the plane of said strip, a leaf spring fixed at one of its ends to the top wall of the channel and having yieldable bearing engagement at its other end upon said cam lug, and an operating element fixed to the latter end of said spring and movable through an opening in the top wall of the channel, depression of said element displacing the latching element transversely in the channel from its normal position to move said latching ongue out of engagement of the closure.

, DAVID H. ZELL. 

